Packing element



N. M. SIDER PACKING ELEMENT Sgpt. 2, 1952 Filed Sept. 19, 194'? Patented Sept. 2, 1952 V i Q @o-FsrcE Nicholas M., SidBLLFDIt waamednd rassignor' to Gontainen-CozgporatiomoiAmerica, Ghieago, lll., a eoumnatiomofeDelaware ApplicationSeptember 19, 1'94? ,"S'erial"-No.'774,'928

A .Claims. --2z9-er4) 1 V '2 This' invention'relates-toapaokingelement or is divided by score'lines into =a pluralityo'f *brace of-paperboard, of the generaltype utilized 'panels, the :case illustrated in'Figure '1 comforholding=packed'atti-les against-shifting in "prising-seven panels ll to H, inclusive. The "a "container; 'orto hold articles-out of contact score lines facilitate the bending of the blank "with the container walls, to :proteet "the goods into 'the-"desired shapeof packing element. "From against damagein handling -and'shipment. More one-edge of the end-*panel l'l extend 'aplurality particularlypthe invention relates to a packing of tongues l8 and T9, in the present instan'ce "element of paperboard whihis so f0rmed'-as:t0 shown: as comprising two-tongues l8 and asingle "provide ineflect atrusse'd brace, whichbeoause tongue '9. .The number of "tongues employed "o'f' 'its truss-:eonstructionis very strong and ri'gi'd. v1 0 'may'vary'from two to any-desirednumben Pre- I-'his meets-one-of the'requirementsfor packing Terably, although not "necessarily; the tongues --lemen'ts or this type, which must'be resistant "l8 alternate-with the tongues 'IBalOngthe 'edge ito=deformation under pressure; Other necessary 'of the panel I l. A score line 20 divides the 'or desirable fea'turesof such 'paking elements tongues from panel ll. The tongue la isdivide'd are ease-andsimplicity'inconstruction, lowcost into a connecting "portion 19a and. "a terminal and adaptability to difierent'size-and shapetreportion 19b by a score line 2| paralleling the quirements. The element of my invention emscoreline and -spacedtherefrom a distanee 'boclies'allthese. substantially equal to the width of that panel.

Itzan object of the invention to provide a 'The packing element shown inFigure 3 is subpapei'boar'd packing elementwhichis verystrong 2 stantially square in .cross section, the panels "and-Tigid-end will'notchange shape oridimen- 11, I 2 and P3 being-of the same width. The 'sio'neven under abnormal-loads. :panels fl-'4, 1'5, 1'6 and I! are of slightlyagreater It is another :'object to providefarpaperbeard widthso that they may conveniently beifolded p'acking element wl'iich 'isv formed with *atruss about'the narrower :panels l"to"|3. construction so as tolbe braced againstdeforma- 'The tongues iIS'have a idtm t greata tioni "erthan the -width'of the .panel l'l,"as will:beimore *St lla c t j c S- e D O fla I D particularly "explained hereafter. The connectboafd packing element which may =readily be ing portion (Ba -of theitongue zli'9, 'beingadefined matle iin any desire'cl size and in 'a variety of by the score lines'20 -and21,"hasaawidthsubstanshapes. tially equal to that "of'thepanel I I. The-.zter- "further Object lsiit'heiprovisifln pfi p minal portion-it lbhas aiwidth: substantially equal boardpaeking element which/is simple in :con- 1 th width ofthe'tongues .18, Byithe .wfdth t fl r y p lyset up from'a s mp y of the itongues is -:meant the :dimension Pin :the formed blank, and inexpensive. direction transverse "of the "panel H, :although Othernd 'furtherobjectsmndadvantages of W -thi5;m-a,ylbegreaterwhan the :dimensiun of th the present invention will bes'apparentfto fthose tongues'in'the longitudinal. directionhf the panel.

's'kille'd'in the 'art froml-the sfollowingvdescription, 'Infgrming t packing elementrjrom thema k, "taken in 'tonriection "With t e pp idTBJW- 'the tongues arefolded .on :the .scorezline Ztkand *ing, in-which: :the tongue leis also ifoldedronizhetscore ;line:2'l.

"Figure a p 1a blank for arpaflking The-blank is then foldedvonthescore lines the- 'element acco t etween the panels H and .IZ ."and'the :panels 12 Figiife f s anenlallged perspectivelviewi'ora and 'l3,' the"free ends :of the tongues l8 being ipa element Partiallyfirefltedifromr1118 blank "engaged in the'angle' formed' bydihe panels :1 hand 'o'if Figure '1 l l 3, while the connecting. hinge .portion 1'! 9a 'n'f'the Figu e 3 8 anelilarged fend View Fflf the "tongue -I9 is -bent*to extend :from the panel to ui' e'd paekinselement 0f PFigurw; the fOld line between thelpanels :13 .and :sub-

Fi ur =4 i an en w r' e r :3 "stantially parallel tolthetpanelil*2, randiwithxthe bub-showin *a slightly modified form hi terminal portion 19b extending from this store invention; and line diagonally into the angle :defined by the Figure is an 'view .lelement I ,a nd'i'z fformed-packing according to'the invention, 'rhut'havmg 2a crosselement w appearing rag. Shown in Figure seetional shape different lfrom 'that'of the mc The panels M, Jl5, l6 and ll-i'l are .then iolded *i ele m E about the connecting-portion:lfiarandmanels 1|,

Thehlankmaterial' may bea y p p l2 and I3, respectively. An en'd'wview ."of "Zthe "iboar'd, such "as "corrugated boaril, 'fibreboarid, or peeking element "then :appears substantially ras the iikemavmgthe'r qui tr n th. "The 'blank "shown in "Figure 3. Any asuitahle'means 'imay be employed to prevent unfolding of the packing element, as for example, adhesive, adhesive tape or staples.

In Figure 4, a packing element is illustrated which is identical with that shown in Figures 1 to 3, except that the panels I5, I6 and I! are omitted. The number of panels which may be employed may be varied, of course, depending upon the particular use to which the packing element is to be put. The element of Figure 3, having a wall of double thickness substantially throughout its periphery, is stronger than the element illustrated in Figure 4. The tongue portion l9a serves as part of one of the element walls. For most purposes, the packing element of Figure 4, when formed of corrugated board, for example, is more than equal to its purpose. It will be clear that if desired the panel I 4 might also be omitted from the packing element of Figgure 4, the tongue portion I9a serving as a wall of the element. It is also within the scope of the invention to provide a packing element with only the panel elements II and I2, means being provided to secure the free ends of the tongues l8 and of the terminal portions I9b to the panels. Such a construction, however, would not ordinarily be considered practical.

The-form of the packing element as shown in Figures 3 and 4 is substantially square in cross section, but obviously this can be modified to provide a rectangular cross section, or other polygonal cross sections. As an example, a packing element according to this invention having a trapezoidal cross section is shown in Figure 5. In this modification the reference numerals of the various parts are the same as the corresponding parts of the packing element of Figures 3 and 4, prefixed with the numeral I. Thus panels III, H2, H3, and H4 correspond to the panels II, I2, I3 and M of Figures 1 to 4, and the tongues I I8 and tongue portions I Mia and I I9b correspond to the tongues I8 and tongue portions I91: and l9b. The number of panels might of course be varied asexplained above, if desired.

Since the only important difference between this modification and the forms shown-in Figures 3 and 4 resides in the different proportions of the various parts, .it is not considered necessary to describe'this form farther or to illustrate the blank from which it is'formed.

In the forms shown in Figures 3 and 4, the width of the tongues l8 and of the terminal portion I912 of the tongue I9 is equal to the square root of twice the square of the width of the panel II. This will readily be apparent from the figures, the tongues and terminal portions each comprising the hypotenuse of an isosceles triangle. Similarly, the Pythagorean theorem applies to determine the width of the tongues and terminal portions when the packing element is formed of rectangular cross section. When the packing element is of other than rectangular cross section, the width of the tongues and terminal portions may be ascertained either by calculation or experiment. The only requirement for the dimensions of the tongues is that they extend a sufficient distance to fit snugly between the apexes of the angles within the packing element between which they are disposed, and have an extent lengthwise of the panel II suflicient to assure enough rigidity so that they will not deform readily upon application, of pressure to the packing element.

By providing a packing element of the construction described, a strongly braced article is produced. The tongues I8 and terminal portions I9b of the tongues I9 lie in intersecting planes, and with the panels form trusses which give the packing element its greater strength and resistance to deformation.

It will be obvious that flaps, lugs or other means may be provided either as separate elements or as integral parts of the packing element for securing it in a desired position in a container, or for attaching it to a packed article, without departing from the spirit and principle of the invention.

As already mentioned, the cross-sectional shape of the packing element may be varied as desirable for particular applications, but the principle as employed in the illustrated embodiments of the invention is followed in all the various forms. Although tongues of only two widths have been illustrated, it will be clear that the tongues might be formed in three or more widths and be disposed in such relation within the packing element as to provide truss bracing, the particular. arrangement depending upon the number of walls and angles in the particular element.

It will be obvious that various changes in and modifications of the inventive embodiments illustrated and described may be made without departing from the principles of this invention. Some of these possible changes and modifications have been pointed out in the foregoing description and others will readily suggest themselves to those skilled in the art. In view of the variations which may be made in embodying the invention, it is not intended to limit the invention to the specific embodiments shown and described, but only as required by the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A packing element of paper board comprising a substantially vertical panel, an upper substantially horizontal panel hinged at one side edge to the upper edge of said vertical panel, a lower substantially horizontal panel hinged at one side edge to the lower edge of said vertical panel, and a plurality of tongues hinged to the other side edge of said upper panel, one of said tongues comprising a connecting portion extending from said upper panel to the other side edge of said lower panel and a terminal portion extending from the lower edge of said connecting portion to said one edge of the said upper panel, the other of said tongues extending from said other side edge of said upper panel to said one side edge of said lower panel and crossing said terminal portion of said one tongue.

2. A one-piece packing element formed from a paper board blank folded to provide a first substantially vertical panel, a lower substantially horizontal panel hinged at one side edge to the lower edge of said vertical panel, a second substantially vertical panel hinged at its lower edge to the other side of said horizontal panel, and a plurality of tongues hinged to said blank with one of said tongues extending from the lower edge of said second vertical panel to the upper edge of said one vertical panel and the other of said to u extendin from the upper edge of said second vertical panel to the lower'edge of'said first vertical panel and crossing said one tongue.

3. A blank for folding into a packing element, said blank comprising a substantially rectangular sheet of paper board cut and scored to provide a plurality of substantially rectangular parallel panels hinged together along parallel fold lines extending transversely of said blank, and a plurality of tongues hinged to one of the end panels of said blank at one end of the latter along fold lines parallel with said first fold lines, said tongues being aligned with said panels lengthwise of said blank, one of said tongues having a fold line parallel with said panel fold lines and dividing said one tongue into an inner connecting portion extending from said one end panel a distance approximately the same as the extent lengthwise of said blank of said one end panel and an outer terminal portion of an extent lengthwise of said blank greater than that of said one end panel, the other of said tongues being of an extent lengthwise of said blank approximately the same as that of said terminal portion of said one tongue.

4. A blank for folding into a packing element, said blank comprising a substantially rectangular sheet of paper board out and scored to provide a plurality of substantially rectangular parallel panels hinged together along parallel fold lines extending transversely of said blank, a tongue hinged to one of the end panels of said blank at the midportion of said one end panel along a fold line parallel with said first fold lines, said tongue having a fold line parallel with said panel fold lines and dividing said tongue into an inner connecting portion extending from said one end panel a distance approximately the same as the extent lengthwise of said blank of said one end panel and an outer terminal portion of an extent lengthwise of said blank greater than that of said one end panel, and other tongues hinged to said one end panel at opposite sides of said first tongue along fold lines forming extensions of the fold line between said first tongue and said one end panel, said other tongues being of an extent lengthwise of said blank approximately the same as said outer terminal portion of said first tongue, all of said tongues being disposed within the extent of said one end panel transversely of said blank and aligned with said panels lengthwise of said blank.

NICHOLAS M. SIDER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

